Black Soul, Dark World
by soda-cola-pop
Summary: AU. She believed he saved her. He, on the other hand, thought that he had just dragged her into hell. STORY IN PROGRESS... Ichinanahachi, I would REALLY like to talk with you
1. Prologue, Act One and Act Two

**Disclaimer:** Sony and SquareSoft's FF7 characters were used in this story for non-profitable purposes. No infringement intended. 

_Hope is slipping from my hands, I only wish to die  
I've given up on everything and ceased to try  
All but bitterness has been stripped from the heart  
My soul has turned black and the world has gone dark  
Tremors and fears felt at every sight seen,  
Scared of what will come and those that once had been,  
I'm deep in this tunnel, and I've lost sight of the light  
My day has disappeared, swallowed by the night.  
What more is left in this world but deceit and failure?  
Disappointments and pains I have long endured?  
My soul is black and the world is now dimming.  
Just when the light has entered, the darkness finally lifting._  
**-Black Soul, Dark World**

**Prologue 1  
Visions of Mercy**

As the day faded away to the darkness of the night, the streets began swarming with hookers and pimps, addicts and thieves, and the like, who had all crawled out of the wormholes where they had hidden in during the daytime. The usual hustle of these night creatures went on, all of them oblivious to the presence standing by the corners, hidden in the shadows.

With steely ice-cold eyes, he looked at all of them. The wheels in his mind began turning yet all thoughts remained concealed and his silence was continually drowned out by the traffic and noise. He took a long drag from his cigarette before letting it fall to the dirty asphalt floor, his foot barely lifting as he crushed it underneath the heel of his heavy boot. And with that, he sauntered away.

Leaving the busy streets as quietly as he had stood there watching, the dark seemed to have swallowed him as he made his way to the back streets. With an imposing stride and clad in an expensive suit, he stuck out like a sore thumb, he clearly didn't belong; yet, such was his air of authority that the bums and drunkards of the alleys could only stare as he passed by them and walked on their turf.

He went on walking and soon came across a huge broken-down building, positively a brothel. His piercing gaze fell on the door, just as it slammed open and a girl stepped out. She was around twenty, dressed in scanty clothes that showed much of her fair skin and slim figure. A hooker...? He raised an eyebrow; she seemed to be in a hurry to get out of the place. She had only gotten a few feet in front of him when the brawny guy standing by the corner violently seized her arm.

"Where d'you think yer going!"

"Away from here! " There was not a hint of fear in her eyes, only anger, as she struggled to free herself from his vise-like grip. Her reactioncaused her captor, the bar bouncer, to frown and tighten his hold on her. "Let go! Tell Yohan I want out!"

"No way, this is yer first night! Yer coming back in there wit' me!" Though he appeared calm, he clearly wouldn't hesitate nor think twice to drag her inside, the stranger observed.

As if knowing what the big man was thinking, the girl fought back more. "N… No! Let go! Just let me go!"

The bystander watched all these under brooding eyes and took a step forward. Since he managed to get behind the girl's assailant without being noticed, he decided to do what he normally wouldn't: help a weakling. "You heard the lady."

The bouncer angrily turned to give him a scowl. "Stay out of this, punk!"

"Can you not hear? Certainly, anyone would have heard what she said."

"I dun know what stupid moron ye are to stick yer nose here!" The mysterious man very well knew that his comment irked the stocky fellow. "An' the boss tole me I kin do anything I want if she won't obey." Raising his hand as if to prove that, he slapped her hard across the face and she quickly crumpled to the ground.

The yet unknown man shook his head, displeased with the action. "Only a coward would strike a girl."

"Who're you callin' a coward!" the big fellow was furious now and began charging at the stranger, but he paid the bouncer no heed, nor did he care about the other man's sudden outburst.

"A fool would be a better word then." He smirked at the fast approaching man before baring his sharp fangs at him. The alley was dark, and anger can truly be blinding. The poor man didn't perceive the horror that was to fall upon him, so it seems, as he prepared to launch a punch at the outsider.

In a matter of seconds, the aggressor was now pleading for pity. The stranger had dodged the clumsy blow and had one hand fisted around the bigger man's neck. It was a ridiculous sight, someone so big and supposedly strong cowering and seeking mercy in the clutches of a smaller, yet stronger figure... Too bad for the fallen man, but mercy was one word unfamiliar to this stranger. As his prey continued wheezing for breath, he sank his teeth into his attacker's neck.

The still of the night was interrupted by the shrill screams of the man as the stranger fed on his blood. Ironically, as he had shown the girl no compassion, the same fate befell him. His cries gradually died down, as did his life as it faded, claimed by death. The victor of the fight slowly stood up and wiped his lips clean with the back of his gloved hand, having a conscience free of guilt that no one would have thought he had just done the gruesome crime this foreordained night.

His head snapped up as his ears picked up sounds of footsteps definitely coming from inside the building and just a few yards from where he was. Looking around for an escape route, he remembered the unconscious girl and something deep within him stirred. He didn't have the heart to leave her behind; that is, if he had a heart at all. Before he knew it, he had swept her up in his arms and leapt over the tallest building, once again disappearing, engulfed by the dark...

* * *

**Prologue 2  
The Charmer's Scheme at Work**

Stupid.

The night before, he had foolishly gotten himself entangled with the underground business of women trafficking, something that he had known of yet barely even cared about. Apparently, his dinner was one of the most trusted men of a very influential pimp. Not that he minded the troubles he had caused, nor did he fear being hunted down. He knew he could take all of them down, that is, if he'd wanted to waste his precious time on these low lives... It simply bothered him, why he risked the chances of being hounded or maybe even discovered all for the expense of helping a girl. And what of her?

He had taken her with him to his abode after the incident and even at this very moment, she was lying on his black silken bed, still unconscious. Despite the poor lighting, he could clearly see her from the bay windows where he was standing. He had without doubt underestimated the girl then, in the alleys when he first laid his eyes on her, for even with the meagre brilliance of the candlesticks, he found the lady quite enticing. Presumably dissatisfied with looking through such a long distance, he travelled the length separating them and sat himself on the bed.

He raised a hand to brush away strands of hair from her forehead, his gaze lingering on her face for a few moments before trailing down to her white neck. The candlelight casted a wicked glow on her, and for some reason, this made her appear more bewitching. She was right in front of him, deep in sleep, helpless... His fingers twitched, longing to feel her soft skin as he pictured himself tasting even a droplet of her blood. Although he had already fed the previous night, he was hungry again, this time, for her... Spellbound, he brought up one hand to touch her. And at that same moment, she stirred awake. Finally being able to break the trance, he stood his ground and waited for her to open her eyes. And when she did, he detected fear in her, and his eyes met hers.

"Welcome to my humble dwelling."

* * *

**Act One  
A Room, A Guy and A Girl  
:Present Day:**

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

The girl to whom the question had been aimed at continued to stare at the man who had spoken to her. "Is this an interrogation?"

He chuckled softly while she impassively looked on, waiting for his answer. "Maybe." Her eyes narrowed and her jaw visibly clenched. "Maybe not." She seemed to relax slightly and he watched her closely, seeking her reaction for something that might give anything away.

"It doesn't matter." She looked up and he found his gaze locked with hers. The temptation to look away was strong, yet he didn't turn away from those soulful pits. "You're staring."

"Do you know these men?" He pulled a couple of photographs from his suit pocket and threw them on the wooden table as if that explained why he had been gawking at her. An emotion he could not read passed through her eyes as they scanned one particular photo, making him smile.

Once again, her eyes met his, defiant as ever. "Where did you get these pictures?"

"You know them."

She did not reply.

He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and offered her one. She declined. He shrugged, lighted the cigarette and took in a long drag, keeping eye contact with her the whole time. "Are you one of them?"

"One of what?"

"Them," He eyed her, all-too-familiar with the mock innocent expression. "You know very well what I'm talking about. Now, are you?"

"If I tell you I am," she leaned forward, wicked-looking shadows settling on her features. "Would you believe me?"

He smiled and blew a cloud of smoke on her face. She didn't flinch one bit. "Heh. You're just a girl."

"To you, maybe I am." She rested her back on the chair and it creaked loudly in protest. "But I know more than you'll ever know in your lifetime."

That's it. She said so herself. His grin widened. "Then tell me about them." Realizing that she went back to being her quiet self and that she wouldn't answer him lest he used force, he decided to push her a little. "You know I could keep you down here for as long as I want if you won't give me any useful facts."

"Do what you want. They'll come after you anyway."

He raised an eyebrow. "They?"

"You know who I'm talking about." Her lips pressed together in a determined line. She stared at him and it barely registered in his mind that she had just used his words from earlier against him and that she was taunting him. "Or don't you?"

"Then talk some more." He prodded her to reveal to him anything about the beings that strike fear into the hearts of every normal man, the same creatures that everyone knew about yet these immortals seemed to exist only in the tales and myths that were meant to scare anyone.

"What's there to say?"

"Recount how you first encountered their kind... Give me a glimpse of what they were like, how they interacted with you. What they eat, how they feed..." He stopped himself before he went on and on. She should have gotten what he had been trying to say, right?

"You're asking me to remember and tell you everything?" He nodded. She shut her eyes, giving him a moment to admire her features. Parts of her face were silhouetted by the shadows casted by the lamp that hung from the ceiling; nevertheless, he can't help notice how white her skin was, not to the extent that it turned into a sickly pale color but the shade came quite close to that... It made her appear almost ghostlike yet it was that air of mystery that made her more beautiful. Her eyes snapped open and he found himself sinking into those dark chasms. "For what price?"

"Your freedom?" He shrugged.

She took a deep breath, looking very tired and broken at that moment. "Very well..."

**

* * *

Act Two  
A Living Corpse**

What an enigma. He wasn't a man born in perpetual darkness, yet the night could easily claim him as her child. He seemed satisfied to walk the lifeless darkened streets, still he claimed he once loved the feeling of warmth daylight brings. He could take away another's life in a natural way that could only be his, however his over protectiveness over a certain girl –a girl he barely knew, no less!– just proved that he cared for the living far more than he would ever admit to himself and others of his kind.

No words were exchanged between him and the now-conscious girl. She could feel every ounce of strength and authority in his average built just as he could sense her fear and worry. Ah, so much was the panic that he could smell it in the air... It could have been fate that two very different people encountered each other the previous night... or their meeting could have been a punishment that was meant to plague them both. The deafening silence was interrupted by the audible knock on the door. He stepped away from her to answer it, he knew she won't be able to go anywhere even if she wanted to.

He held the door ajar, shielding the interior of his room with his body from whoever's prying eyes. A man whose looks resembled his greeted him with a wide grin. For a moment there, it was as if he was looking at his reflection in the mirror, only that it was everything he wasn't...

"What is it?"

"Ah." The smile on the other man's face widened as if taunting him. "The Great One wishes to see you."

He frowned. "Why is that?"

"I do not know." The other man tried to peer over his shoulder, but he was quick to hide it, closing the door slightly so that only his face was visible through the opening. "Hmm, what is there to hide? We've been friends for as long as I remember."

What was said made him smirk. "Then apparently, you don't remember much of your life." With that, he shut the door on his intruder's face. He focused his attention back on his guest. The girl had been staring at him and she most probably heard all that they had talked about. He knew she had questions but he wasn't in the mood to answer even a single one of them.

"I-" she opened her mouth to speak but he interrupted her, wanting to hear nothing about her inquiries.

"Look, girl." He began tersely, pinning her with his icy gaze. "If you have any queries, I'd like it if you save them for later."

"Hey, I just wanted to thank you." She met his look head on, jutting her chin out and showing him how brave she was when he already thinks otherwise.

He chuckled, his laugh sounding hollow and lacking the humour. It was certainly odd for him to hear her say those grateful words when she still didn't know just what kind of hell he had brought her to. "Thank me? For what?" he moved closer to her that his face was mere inches from hers. "For saving you from that man, is that what you are so grateful of?"

She frowned at him, puzzled by his reaction. "You helped me escape, isn't that good enough?"

Suddenly infuriated at her ignorance, he spun around and scowled so hard that his next words came out as a growl. "Yes, I helped you escape but you have no idea just how much more difficult it would be to find freedom from this hellish prison."

"This is a prison?" she put a hand on his shoulder but recoiled from her touch. "Hey, you're cold."

"You don't know just how cold I am," he said through gritted teeth. "And yes, this is what you said this is." His frown deepened as his mind travelled back to the memories he thought he had thrown away. "I have been imprisoned here since the moment I allowed myself to be betrayed."

She suddenly looked frightened, just as she had been when she first saw him. "I... I don't understand what you're saying."

He seemed pleased for her lack of knowledge. "It's best that way."

**_fin_ _chapter one_**

**Author's Notes: **I wrote this late last year (2001-2002) after I got really bored listening to my physics teacher's lectures. Took me a lot of time to convince myself to post it and all... Oh yeah, I know the poem at the beginning of the fic seems unrelated to the whole story BUT it did serve as my inspiration for the story. Oh, I forgot to mention that the characters would only be revealed in Act Four. Sorry!

**Additional Author's notes, upon editing: **It has been a while since I last posted anything (I have forgotten how to edit chapters, would you believe?). The past few years had been really vexing, and as I went through those times, I had to fight off depression, school problems and conflict from my own family. I have thankfully overcome those moments, so, yeah, I'M BACK!

Since I still can recall everything I have in line for this story, I shall continue it. It might be a bit slow, considering that I only have 6 more months left before I my on-the-job-training (therefore, my studies would have to coincide with my writing), nonetheless, I would still be updating. So, if anyone is still reading this, well, no worries, I shall finish this! )


	2. Act Three and Act Four

**Disclaimer:** Sony and SquareSoft's FF7 characters were used in this story for non-profitable purposes. No infringement intended. 

_Hope is slipping from my hands, I only wish to die  
I've given up on everything and ceased to try  
All but bitterness had been stripped from the heart  
My soul has turned black and the world has gone dark  
Tremors and fears felt at every sight seen  
Scared of what will come and those that once had been  
I'm deep in this tunnel, and I've lost sight of the light  
My day has disappeared, swallowed by the night.  
What more is left in this world but deceit and failure?  
Disappointments and pains I have long endured?  
My soul is black and the world is now dimming.  
Just when the light has entered, the darkness finally lifting._  
**-Black Soul, Dark World**

**Act Three  
Darkness Come Again  
:Present Day:**

"And then?"

She took her sweet time answering him. "That's it. That was the first of their kind that I came across... But at that time, I didn't know it, I couldn't understand what he had been saying." A frown settled on her face, as if an eternity of pain had been unearthed from her memories.

"So..." He waved his hand around, causing a few ashes from his cigarette to fall on the table. "Who is he? Or would 'was' be a better word?"

An irritated look crossed her features. "Does it matter?"

Does 'what' matter? The rephrasing of the question or the name of this... being? "I'm asking you. It should be a substantial information."

"And for what purpose are you asking me this?"

He met her gaze and broke into a laughing fit. "And you think you're in the position to ask me questions?" He discarded what remained of his cigarette and lit another one before gesturing at her bound wrists. "In case you forgot, you're the one tied up. You're the one who got caught. You answer the questions, not me."

Not a word from what he just said seemed to hit her. "Then I shall not say a word."

It was hard to read her facial expression, not that it was easy to try dealing with her attitude. "You will speak. I will make you." He gave her an almost malicious smile but she didn't appear to think of him much as a menace, in fact instead of instilling fear in her, it was as if his warning just amused her.

If she had been even the least bit eager to find out what he meant by that, she was good in masking that curiosity. She continued watching him unemotionally, eyes seemingly hollow just then; she very much resembled a porcelain mannequin. Or a corpse. Anything dull and lifeless, so it seems...

"Sunlight." The man said it as though that would explain his threat. He was about to say more, to probably elaborate on it, but he froze right then and there. Just the sight of her shoulders shaking with soft laughter was enough to send shivers down his spine; it was obvious from the way it looked so wrong and horribly out of place that she was not the type who smiled much.

"You think you know everything..." He could only watch her, the aftershock of hearing her humourless laugh still etched on his mind. As swiftly as it had appeared, her smile wilted, replaced by that blank look. He found himself grateful for this frosty, unsmiling version of her. "Just to show you just how much they should be feared, let me tell you that not all of them get burnt to a crisp the moment sunlight touches their skin. There are a few who could roam the earth anytime they want, and the price to walk in daylight is only a little pain..."

* * *

**Act Four  
A Glimpse of a Phantom**

No one else had stirred such clashing emotions inside of her, all at once. A certain part of her loathed his cold persona, still another voice was telling her it's best that they remain strangers to each other. His aura of mystery roused a curiosity she never knew she had in her, at the same time there was this dread that was somehow convincing her not to know anything about this man. She wanted to understand what he had been meaning to say just a while ago, to see beyond this hardened man and his cryptic words, yet fear just kept her rooted in place, unable to do anything.

His words from earlier made her feel like an ignorant fool, and as if satisfied that she shut her mouth, he refused to say anything as well. The air suddenly felt so heavy and she was having trouble breathing. It was the stagnant silence and the ominous atmosphere of the room that were causing all these, she concluded.

And to make matters worse, he was watching her. Mustering as much courage as she could, she lifted her head and stared back at him. There was a saying that said: "The eyes are the windows to one's soul," and if that was true, then his was so terribly wounded. A sea of conflicting emotions was what she saw in them... Somehow, somewhere, she'd seen that same look before... Realization dawned on her.

"You- Your eyes!" They were the same as hers.

She had seen that look every time she had chanced upon her reflection in the mirror. There was this unsatisfied emotion similar to a caged eagle yearning to be rid of the bars restricting its flight to the blue heavens. But one way or another, the emotion on his was different; the raging fire was much, much fiercer, that the very moment his gaze lighted on her, it was as if her soul had been burnt by hell's fire itself.

"You have a lot to learn, girl." It was hard trying to decipher this man. Only an instant ago did he show her that he was in no frame of mind to speak with her, and now, it was like he was attempting to start a conversation. "Things are never what they seem in the outside word."

"And you would know?" Scared as she was of this man, his indifference and rudeness annoyed her. She softened up almost immediately after getting a glare him and remembering that this very man saved her. "And I have a name. It's Tifa, not girl. Please address me as such."

The look on his face barely disclosed that he acknowledged her introduction. "I used to be called Vincent." He turned his back on her, detesting the memories that surfaced upon uttering that cursed name. "But that had been a long time ago. You may call me however you wish."

"I... I think Vincent is fine." He started walking towards the door and she could only follow him, not sure of what else to do. "Umm... Where are we going?"

"You have a lot of questions." He wheeled around and faced her, a phantom of a smile playing on the corners of his lips. " 'I' am going somewhere, it's none of your business where precisely." He opened the door and peered out into the hall. "Wait for me here. Lock the door and do not let anyone else in."

"Can't you take me with you?"

He levelled her with a stare, and she could only shrink back at the intensity of the gaze. "It is not negotiable." With that, he left before she could even say anything again.

Left all alone in the company of the darkness, the room appeared to be more foreboding. The candles' glow stained the blackish interior with an orange tinge and the shadows in the corners taunted her, as if crawling towards the entryway where she was standing. The dark looked as if it came alive at that moment and she did what any other normal person in this situation would have done: she fled.

_fin chapter two_

**Author's Notes:** A short chapter... So, the two in the prologue happened to be Vincent and Tifa. Were you able to guess it beforehand? I apologize if they were OOC, I just wanted to create an alternative scenario for the FF7 characters and I chose this one (That's why the summary did say AU).

BTW, sorry if this chapter is really short. It was supposedly the beginning of a much longer chapter, but I decided to divide it into two (since I'm not quite satisfied with how the latter part was written, and I'm currently rewriting it). Hopefully, it will be up in a few days.

Anyway, hope you all liked this! If you have any comments, questions, suggestions or any violent reactions, please feel free to write them in a review or drop me an email at sodacolapop at yahoo dot com

Again, thanks for reading.

**Additional Author's Notes upon editing:** well, yeah, this was written more than four years ago, and even back then, I was a Vincent and Tifa fan. (Of course, I love Zack too, but that is a different story). Yes, this chapter was edited, slightly though, because of the grammar errors I have committed then. If ever I missed out on some grammatical mistakes, please do inform me? Thank you very much.


	3. Act Five, Act Six and Act Seven

**Disclaimer:** Sony and SquareSoft's FF7 characters were used in this story for non-profitable purposes. No infringement intended.

_Hope is slipping from my hands, I only wish to die  
I've given up on everything and ceased to try  
All but bitterness has been stripped from the heart  
My soul has turned black and the world has gone dark  
Tremors and fears felt at every sight seen,  
Scared of what will come and those that once had been,  
I'm deep in this tunnel, and I've lost sight of the light  
The day has disappeared, swallowed by the night...  
What more is left in this world but deceit and failure?  
Disappointments and pains I have long endured?  
My soul is black and the world is now dimming...  
Just when the light has entered, the darkness finally lifting...  
_**-Black Soul, Dark World**

**Act Five  
****Servants of the Night**

The night had such effects on the mind... The manor was empty and darkness filled that void, touching all of the areas with its ebony fingers and leaving traces of its sinister kisses in places where the light could not go. Its children, fear and malice, were somewhere inside the place, wreaking havoc to those unaware of their presence.

Out of the room and away from the guidance of light, there was nothing to see but an endless blanket of darkness. Despite the heavy blackness of the surroundings, Tifa ran. Away from what, to go where, she had no idea. All she knew is that she had to get away from that room before she loses her sanity. It didn't take much time before she got herself deep into the endless winding black maze of the manor's corridors.

Blinded by the dark, she collided with a solid figure and the impact would have sent her flying off to the other direction if it hadn't steadied her balance. There, standing in front of her, was a blurry silhouette.

"What is the rush, little lady?"

In Tifa's state of panic, it didn't even enter her mind that she should have apologized for barrelling into the stranger; instead, she pushed past him and took off running once again. By some means, she stumbled into an abandoned room. There was no way for her to see anything without the help of light. Damn, she was tired and scared, but it was her own fault she had no way back to Vincent's room.

Using the wall as her aid, she sluggishly felt her way into a corner before sinking to the floor, drawing her knees to her chest and willing sleep to take over. And ironically, when it was needed most, sleep didn't come. Time stood still, she did not know how long she stayed in that same position but just when her eyelids were about to drop...

"If you hadn't done that, we would have had our meal!"

"Hell, you saw how he provoked me-"

"Yes, and that little exhibition of yours scared our food away!"

"Damn it you two! This bickering won't get us anywhere!"

At first, the voices were a bit muted, probably in the adjacent room, but the last statement was spoken much louder than the ones before it. It took only a moment for her to realize that they were now in the same room she was in.

She opened her eyes, surprised that there were now a dozen or so candles with their tiny flames flickering in the wind. Ever thankful for the cabinet that was concealing her hiding place, she moved further back until her back was pressed firmly against the wall.

The first two who had spoken began arguing again and this time, she concentrated on keeping quiet and cramming herself into that small space behind the dresser instead of listening to their squabble. But try as she might to continue being undetected, they had their way of knowing if someone else was there... Or rather, the third one had... and discovered her.

"You look a bit lost." A pretty girl with wide emerald eyes greeted her with what appeared to be a friendly smile; however, if one would only look close enough, that person would notice her frosty eyes. She pulled Tifa up with strength unlikely for any girl. The other two continued their dispute, ever oblivious to her little discovery. "Ahem, gentlemen? We have a guest."

The argument was instantly forgotten, and the strangers' undivided attention came to rest on her. The girl's friends stood in front of her, looking practically identical yet one would easily figure the two were not related. It was almost eerie just seeing them standing side by side.

"It's a girl." The dark-haired fellow gave her a once over, grinning and flashing his white teeth at her. He took a step nearer but the green-eyed girl enclosed her in a hug. It was extremely awkward for Tifa, but the other girl didn't seem to be having the same sentiment.

"I found her first. She's mine."

"Aeris, it's best if we don't mess with her yet. For all we know, she could be someone else's." The blond spoke up, and only then did she see how pale they were, in fact their skin colour matched that of Vincent's pallor- Vincent! If one of them knew him, then maybe they could tell her the way back to his room...

"Do you know Vincent?"

The green-eyed girl immediately withdrew her arms from Tifa at the mere mention of that name. Her dark haired companion stared in awe. "Vincent's pet!"

"I told you." The blond man admonished them, shaking his head slightly.

The dark haired man lifted one hand and touched his fingers on her neck. His coldness seemed to seep right through her. She stepped away; he smiled. "If that is his pet, then how come she is unmarked?" He tried to touch her once more, this time looking at Tifa with newfound suspicion and she could only avert her eyes from the intense glare.

The girl sighed, seemingly tired of her companion's hard-headedness. "We haven't seen all of h-"

"Heh, that old geezer has taste." He smiled yet again, if such mood swing was possible. He took Tifa's hand in his, and planted a kiss on the back of her hand. "I'm Zack, the blond is Cloud and the lovely lady here is Aeris. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss...?"

"It is not important." He must have had a knack of suddenly arriving when she needed him the most, or maybe there was some strange link connecting their minds together. Who would have thought Vincent himself would appear at that very second? But he did, he came and dragged her away from the _second child's minions_. And for the first time since she spoke with them, the three were tongue tied, left without anything to say.

On the other hand, she and Vincent had a lot to talk about. The scalding fire in his eyes showed her exactly how angry he was at her and his next few words proved likewise.

"Tifa, it seems to me you cannot keep even a simple promise."

**

* * *

**

**Act Six  
****See no Light  
****:Present Day:**

"I should fear that?"

The scepticism was evident in his tone of voice and he made no point of hiding it. Nonetheless, what he said didn't affect her one bit. She was still as inexpressive as she had been the whole interrogation through; her face remained unreadable, like the enigmatic words of some ancient language. The two of them held their gazes for what seemed like an eternity. He was the first to look away, disgusted by her lack of reaction.

"You have no patience." One side of her mouth lifted into a vague smile, barely disclosing just how amused she was of his irritation. He wanted to hear this, he desired to know this, he needed her to speak... and she knew that as much as he did. "I've only just started my little story... You asked me to tell you about their kind. Don't you want to hear every single bit of it?"

He threw up his hands in defeat. She got him there. "Well, Ms. Lockheart, do continue your tale."

Her eyebrows rose slightly. "Sarcasm isn't the best method to use on me, you know."

Folding both arms on the desk, he sighed. "Go on. Please."

She appeared pleased for a while, but that small show of expression was gone as soon as it had transpired and he was left wondering whether he had only imagined it or not. "That's one thing you have to work on: your respect. Not to worry, though. I'll make sure your insolent nature would be taken cared of by the time this whole thing is done..."

Act Seven The Woman in the Windowless Chamber 

He led. She had no choice but to follow. The passageways became a black blur as he practically dragged her to their destination. And then, they were back in his room. Or so she thought.

It had the same canopied bed, with black silken covers, the identical Persian rug, the possibly dozens and dozens of candles serving as the only light in this blackness... But on the eastern wall, where the bay windows should have been, was an enormous oil painting of a lovely young woman with the skin of virgin snow, lips as red as a bloody rose, and eyes that resembled the deepest part of the ocean.

For a moment, Tifa started to wonder if it was a portrait of the girl she had met, Aeris... But that possibility was quickly pushed aside when she spent more time gazing at the picture; the lady's eyes held a high degree of wisdom and the slight smile playing on her lips made Tifa feel as though this woman knew a lot more than she did, that she held so many deep-seated secrets... And considering she got all that impression just by looking at a painting, a replica, what more if she was to meet this woman in person?

"She's... beautiful." Tifa murmured softly. The woman was eerily mysterious, but it fitted her well. Tifa sat down on the bed, relishing the feeling of the smooth cloth on her fingers. The other girl's gaze never left her. Vincent did bring her here for a purpose, right? He wanted her to see this woman... all for what reason? "Who is she?"

"Lucrecia." His voice was almost as soft as a whisper, but she heard it anyway. "She was too good for this world… And as I had warned her, it stained her." Every emotion, all the pain and anger, she could see in his eyes and they reflected the candles' flames like blazing pools; that vision seemed appropriate at this moment. "But now, she's... gone."

"Where?" Oh, how he would have laughed at her ignorance had she chosen some other moment to ask this foolish question. But the look on her face didn't reflect that lack of knowledge; instead, all he saw was genuine curiosity. And as a saying went: "Curiosity killed the cat."

He turned away from her. "She's dead."

"Dead?"

Vincent approached her with unearthly speed, stopping only when his face was right in front of hers. "Yes. Dead." He whispered coldly, without any regard for her reaction. "And you would end up just like her if you pull another stunt like you had done a while ago." Having the feel of his cool breath on her cheeks, Tifa could only pull back, enraged by what he said and humiliated by their closeness. She turned red, perfectly capturing the emotions of anger and embarrassment.

"You have a lot of nerve threatening me!" she raised a hand to slap him, but he was much, much quicker than she was. He grasped her arm tightly in one hand and pulled her from the bed, hard eyes penetrating the bold front she had created. There were no words to describe just how infuriated he was.

"Is that any way to express your gratitude?" his voice came out as a hiss; it was uncanny how he very much resembled a serpent at that exact time. He flung her arm away in disgust and, to her relief, finally tore his gaze away from her.

"Yes, you did save me and I'm indebted to you but that doesn't mean you could make me do everything you want!" she would have yelled at him, but fear already had taken its toll in her. The closest thing to a scream that she could do was raise her voice; nonetheless, he still wasn't pleased with it.

He stared at her, his blank facade returning. "You are in my domain. For now, you do as I order."

"And why should I? What w… Would you kill me if I disobey you?" She was asking for it... If she only knew he was doing this for her sake, she would've went along with it. But this was her choice, and who was he to influence her decision?

"Have it your way. When daybreak comes, I shall send you back to your home."

_fin chapter three_

**Original Author's Notes:** First of all, let me explain Aeris's role... I've never read Ann Rice's vampire series but the "Interview with the Vampire" movie played a big part as an inspiration for the chapters after the prologue (Visions of Mercy and The Charmer's Scheme at Work were the only ones written and edited during physics class). I grew especially fond of Kirsten Dunst's character, Claudia (the innocent-looking, literally bloodthirsty vampire kid who kept killing people for their blood) so technically, I wanted someone-who-doesn't-look-or-won't-even-pass-for-a-vampire to be, oh well, a vampire... I just thought it would be nice to have someone who won't hurt a fly (Aeris) being something/someone that is actually dangerous (I considered Yuffie or Lucrecia... but something made me choose Aeris). An innocent vampire, I love the irony of it... What do you think?

I know some of them might be OOC... Well most of them would probably be OOC since this IS AU. I really was intending to make a novel, or a really long short-story... but the characters I've been "designing" were really crappy so I figured that maybe I should just turn this into a fanfic (since the FFVII characters are cool and Vincent and Sephiroth make really "beautiful" vampires, haha).

Oh yeah, some of you might have been confused... and I really am sorry for that! My way of writing this fic IS confusing. Umm, just imagine the movie Now and Then. The intro where they were playing that game is like this story's prologue, Act1 is the present (same as Act3 & 6) and Act2 (like all the other remaining Acts) is technically the girl's "narrative."

Before I end this, let me tell you that what I'm writing is reflective of how I view certain things and concepts. It may sound weird, or confusing... But then I promise you all, it would be explained in time.

Anyway, hope you all like this! Thanks for reading.

**Additional author notes after editing:** I think this is one of my favourite chapters… ) I still am sorry if you guys feel as if the characters are OOC, I simply borrowed them and placed them in a world quite different from that of FFVII's.


	4. Act Eight, Act Nine, Act Ten and Act Ele...

**Disclaimer:** Sony and SquareSoft's FF7 characters were used in this story for non-profitable entertainment purposes. No infringement intended.

_Hope is slipping from my hands, I only wish to die  
I've given up on everything and ceased to try  
All but bitterness has been stripped from the heart  
My soul has turned black and the world has gone dark  
Tremors and fears felt at every sight seen,  
Scared of what will come and those that once had been,  
I'm deep in this tunnel, and I've lost sight of the light  
The day has disappeared, swallowed by the night...  
What more is left in this world but deceit and failure?  
Disappointments and pains I have long endured?  
My soul is black and the world is now dimming...  
Just when the light has entered, the darkness finally lifting..._  
**-Black Soul, Dark World**

**Act Eight  
****Where the walls have ears**

She knew he was really looking for a reason to get rid of her, but that didn't anger her even the slightest bit. She hated this place; he was right, though, that to be trapped here was like being in hell itself. Only, this hell had an ice-cold black flame instead of the scorching red inferno she had envisioned before.

She had spent only a short time in this manor, but already, she wanted out. His suggestion seemed like the perfect plan; there was only one problem...

"I don't have a home." His hard eyes lighted on her again, and as usual, not even a shadow of an emotion was present in them. She was about to open her mouth and say more when all the candles in the room flickered, before their flames fully gave out. Darkness enveloped the two once again.

She felt something cold moving in the emptiness around her and she almost screamed. The only reply was the sound of smooth baritone laughter in her ears.

"Young one, I've had enough of these childish games of yours!" This was the first time she heard Vincent raise his voice. A gust of wind blew, laying a hand on Tifa's skin with its icy touch and somehow giving back the candles' light. She gasped.

A handsome young man, with long hair so light it was almost white, was standing in front of her, taking Vincent's place. He had one of her hands in one of his, and what surprised her was that she never realized he was holding it if she had not seen him doing so. Like the complexions of the other inhabitants of this house, his paleness contrasted with the darkness in the background. And the smile on his face... failed to touch his eyes.

"I have travelled the continents, but I have yet to meet a maiden as lovely as you, my little lady..." he continued gazing into her eyes and she could only redden at the praise and the attention she was given. "I believe we haven't met formally...?"

"She is my guest." Vincent spoke up, and Tifa would have forgotten his presence had he not chosen that exact moment to say anything.

The anonymous man's brows raised slightly. "A visitor. Oh I see, and I believe I am beginning to understand your rudeness much earlier... But Vincent, any hospitable and righteous host would not just leave his guest running around in his house when he himself knows it is particularly unsafe for her."

"Yes, but I had business to attend to. I shall make sure it does not happen again." Vincent levelled Tifa with a glare, and she very well knew what that look meant. She tried to pull her hand free from the other man's grasp but he held unto her tighter.

"My, my! Have you forgotten your manners, Vincent?" The stranger shook his head. "Since our friend here has no intention of introducing the two of us, my name is Sephiroth-"

"It is not her obligation to tell you hers." Vincent interrupted the light haired one, who coolly stared back.

"Ah, but I was not talking to you."

"She would not be staying for long." Vincent stepped forward, eyes narrowing into slits. He grabbed Tifa's other arm and pulled her behind him as if to shield her from the man. "Now, be off."

Sephiroth stood there as if rooted to the same spot, a smirk forming on his lips. "I overheard what she said earlier. She does not have a home, she does not have anywhere else to go back to... If you are not willing to let her stay with you, she is more than welcome to live with me in my abode-"

"And let her sell her soul to the devil?" Vincent's usually cool eyes blazed, true to their scarlet colour. "Why, even-"

"Tifa." Before any one of the two could accept the other's challenge for a fight, Tifa decided to give Sephiroth what he had been asking for. She didn't understand why Vincent was making such a big deal out of it.

"Lady Tifa... I have a feeling this wouldn't be the last time we would meet..." He smiled at her and this time, the corners of her mouth curled into a smile as well. With that, he turned and disappeared out the door.

"I am most certain this would not be the last time you will encounter him." Vincent said as soon as the two of them were alone in the room. If he had been even the slightest bit angry at her, once again, he was able to conceal it well.

She watched him closely, hoping to see any slip that would give her an idea precisely what he was speaking of. "Why would that be? I find that… hard to believe, really. I didn't give him everything about me, just my name."

Vincent's cold eyes met her wide ones, and she could not do anything but avert her gaze from his steadfast stare. "Sephiroth has his ways, Tifa."

"Sephiroth has his ways...? Just… What do you mean? How..?" What Vincent was saying intrigued her. It was like decoding or trying to figure out some indecipherable puzzle. "He was like a grown-up child, but he seemed nice enough to me."

Vincent stared at her. " 'What you see is what you get,' is that what everything is to you?" He waited for her reply, but not a word escaped her lips. "You should not accept things as they come... If you should know, Sephiroth created the two men and the woman you met earlier."

"Created...?" She looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

He shook his head as if it would be too hard for her to understand. "Those other three you had just been acquainted with, they are Sephiroth's underlings." She didn't say anything, he sighed and started walking towards the door, motioning for her to follow him. "Come. We should not waste time here... You heard him, it is not safe for someone like you to be here."

Tifa stopped in her tracks. "Someone like me? Why, how am I different from all of you?"

Vincent turned around ever so slowly and once he completely faced her, she caught a glimmer of sadness or regret in his garnet eyes. The colour and the emotion reminded her of a flesh wound gushing out blood in small rivulets. Were those tears in his eyes...?

"Like the two sides of a coin, we are one, yet we could never be the other... Rather, we can no longer be like you." he paused, voice as soft as a whisper, "How different, you ask..."

His very gaze bore a hole through her soul. "Very different."

* * *

**  
Act Nine  
****Pause, and Silence Answers  
****:Present Day:**

"All of these happened in a day?"

Cool blue eyes met equally cool crimson ones. "What do you think?"

"Hell, I just asked! That means I don't know!" He blew up, exasperated by the regress of this conversation. He thought he would be getting some information soon enough, but they had been down here for half a day at the least... She still wasn't showing any sign of cooperation; instead of making it easier for both of them, she chose to narrate this story of hers.

"It is what you make of it."

Damn, she was doing it again! Why must she speak in such a profound way? His hands unconsciously balled into fists. "Did they all happen in a day? A week? A month? Years, decades or even centuries? Christ! I just asked so I'd have an idea how long it would take for you to finish saying all these!"

Her eyelids lowered to cover her eyes, long dark lashes standing out against her almost white skin. "Time has a way of confusing us. Sometimes, it passes by so swiftly; oftentimes, it just drags on and on... If it was a day or a century, a tortured soul wouldn't be able to distinguish one from the other. I don't know exactly how long ago these happened." Her eyes suddenly opened, and he was forced to look deep into two swirling pools of blood: her eyes. "There are more to come, a lot are left unsaid... but the night is coming to an end and we should get our rest. Do you wish to continue the next evening?"

He nodded, standing up to help her up. "This story will take long?"

She tore her gaze from him, settling it on the wooden table. "You have no idea just how long..."

* * *

**  
Act Ten  
****A Riddle in Itself  
****:Present Day:**

He found himself outside her detainee room's door the following night, after catching hours of rest during the day. Taking the key from his pocket, his hand hovered near the lock, but before the key could fully carry out its use, the door swung open.

"Come in."

Her voice came everywhere and nowhere around him at the same time, it was hard to pinpoint where it had come from until he saw her calmly seated on the worn out bed, hands clasped primly on her lap. The ropes that bound her wrists together laid discarded on the floor by her feet.

After seeing that she was able to escape her binds and that she had opened the supposedly locked door, he was left wondering why she hadn't fled when she had the chance to, why she stuck around just to be able to continue her story, why she even bothered to tell him a detailed version of this particular part of her life... Too many questions, none of which had an answer... That was how she'd forever be to him: one of life's mysteries; a question whose answer would ceaselessly be left unsaid; the enchanting woman who had captivated him with her ghostly charm.

"You're late." Her eyes emitted a cold glow, greatly contrasting with their natural color. "For someone so eager to know about my kind, you're showing a very minimal amount of enthusiasm regarding this topic."

He smirked. "Finally admitted you're one of them, huh."

"Technically, I am. But not wholly." She replied with a thin smile, he scowled. "Like I said, it would be too hard for you to understand. Perhaps I should enlighten you by continuing where I left off last night?"

He took the only chair in the room and rested his feet on the edge of the bed, near where she was seated. "Sure, go on, go ahead. I'm willing to listen." He brought out his lighter and a pack of cigarettes, just in case he'd want to use them.

A corner of her lips curled up. "My hands are not bound, are you sure it's safe for you that way?"

He shrugged. Looking at her, one would see that she was barely over a hundred pounds; he can take on her easily if she was to attack him. "How'd you do it? Get rid of the ropes and open the door, I mean."

"I have my ways... Not that it's my responsibility to tell you." She regarded him with her wide eyes. "Aren't you going to ask anything else? About the people in my story?"

He grinned at her. "Which one of the men in the photos was Vincent?"

"You do not know?" she frowned at him, and he silently praised her for being able to know he was just playing with the question. For god's sake, he was hired to know this! Of course he knew who Vincent was! If possible, his smile widened.

"Hey, carry on with the story... Especially now that I've decided to be patient enough."

She just stared at him. "You better make certain of that."

* * *

**  
Act Eleven**  
**Flight to the Seas Yonder**

The turbulent sea was the toughest enemy one could ever have. Her anger brought forth typhoons, hurricanes and tsunamis that could ravage the land; she had spurned many ships under her seemingly bottomless sapphire waters; she had taken lives of the lot that wished to enrage her. Indeed, Mother Ocean had quite a temper...

Tifa looked out into the seemingly endless stretch of blue and shuddered. She feared the dark, for it held a lot of mysteries and mankind has a way of being afraid of certain things they cannot explain... But she feared the sea as well; she knew it could swallow her whole anytime it pleased. And too bad for her, she never learned how to swim. How Vincent convinced her to step into this ship, she probably might never know... That man had quite a lot of unexplained means of letting her obey him.

She stole a glance at him, who was stoically lingering somewhere in the background, close enough for comfort, though not too far from hearing range. He was still wearing that expensive suite and the black trenchcoat; those were the very same clothes Sephiroth was dressed in. She suddenly became self-conscious of what she was wearing, or rather, what she wasn't wearing.

"How much more time before we get there?" she asked him, tugging at the bottom of her short black miniskirt. The sooner they reach their destination, the sooner she could get out of these clothing and into decent ones.

"A bit impatient, aren't we?" She heard Vincent's footsteps approaching her. Tifa barely even had the chance to look up at him when she felt something drape around her shoulders. She saw Vincent walking away without his trench coat. "The cold would get intolerable in the next moments, when we dock."

The coat was a bit big on her; while it reached only his mid-calf, it went way past hers. Its end would have trailed on the ground if it weren't for her thick boots. "Thanks... But what about you?" she watched as he leaned against the railing, pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Such a simple act like that from him mesmerized her.

"No one can get possibly colder than I am."

Tifa didn't know whether to call that expression on his face a smirk or a scowl. Maybe it was both; perhaps it held some twinge of irony only he would know. Her gaze trailed down from his face to his hands. They were long and slender... Soft too; she remembered how it felt when he had pulled her from that man, from that Sephiroth...

The wind whipped locks of hair into her face and she shook them off, also trying to push the annoying thoughts away. Why bother thinking about things that had answers no one would be telling her? Still, she cannot avoid wondering why Vincent held such animosity towards that other man... But it was none of her business, right? She had only been here for such a short time, she shouldn't trouble herself with their problems when she had an abundance of them already...

"You know... you still haven't told me where we're going." She turned her attention back on her dark companion. He wasn't looking in her direction, but she knew he was listening. "Or will you be leaving me elsewhere again?"

His mere gaze sent shivers down her back. "Leave you and have you running off somewhere else? And then to bother myself by looking for you even in the lions' den?" A sparkle of humourless merriment appeared in his eyes. "No, I've learned from my mistake. This time, I'll shackle you to the bed if I have to."

Was he serious?

"Will there be any need for me to bind you?" Vincent didn't look at her this time, turning away as if tired of speaking with her.

"No, I don't think so." She replied, hugging the coat tighter around her body and walking up to where he was. "Tell me why we're running away again?"

He glanced in her way, cool scarlet eyes appearing uninterested. "We are not running away. I'm helping you escape."

She folded her arms in front of her chest, the corners of her lips turning down into a frown. "From what?" If he was going to get started on the whole deal with Sephiroth again, she might as well just jump from the ship and drown herself to death... Not really, she wasn't that out of her mind. "And really, you've already helped me, Vincent. That night, remember?"

He still wasn't looking at her. "You won't understand." Tifa knew he was going to say that.

"How can I when you don't bother telling me anything?" Her voice was almost pleading. Why the hunger to know, she couldn't comprehend that feeling as well. "I ask questions, you give me another question or a vague reply... I'm running around in circles! I don't even know half of what you're saying..."

Vincent watched her with his brooding eyes. "Do you have an idea what we are? What I am?"

She shook her head and he dropped his cigarette onto the ground, extinguishing its flame by stomping one booted foot on top of it.

"Then, it's not really important for you to know any other detail."

_fin chapter four_

**Original Author's Notes:** Heh, I'm back (this story), didja all miss me? I'm sorry for sort of abandoned this one... Things are getting tougher in college, but heck, I'm coping! Don't worry though, I'll keep writing stuff for as long as there would be people reading my works. Actually, writing is one of my few passions (like drawing, eating, reading fanfictions...) and the only thing that takes long is when I'm stuck checking and rechecking may chapters for any error or plothole... A hard task, if you ask me). Forgive me if there are still mistakes and grammar errors, I'm such a klutz, I'm very impulsive and most of the times, I do things without thinking (Except when it comes to writing stuff... but it seems that I cannot escape my fate, and blunders just stick to me like leeches, ick!).

But, yeah, I'll still write. Gotta finish all of my stories (and then maybe finally "retiring" from I hope I was able to write Sephiroth well enough (he's cool, he's hot, WHATEVER, I'll have him either way!) How do you like how I characterized him?

I know I left you all feeling confused with the whole story line, and I really apologize for that. For the whole period through, allow me to explain.

If any one of you looked back into the previous chapters, you'd realize that the man in Act One isn't Vincent. That part is the Aren't-you-going-to-speak?-Is-this-an-interrogation?-Maybe...-Maybe-not-You're-staring.-Do-you-know-these-men?... conversation Umm, I guess the give away that this 'interrogator' isn't Vincent is when he says: "Recount how you first encountered their kind... Give me a glimpse of what they were like, how they interacted with you. What they eat, how they feed..." And she replies with a "You're asking me to remember...? For what price?" ... Uh, I guess you got it now, huh? Sorry about the misunderstanding and everything...

To avoid any more confusion, I would be placing an asterisk beside the Acts which are supposed to be part of the captive girl's narrative (all the Vincent and Tifa acts that are written so far ARE part of that story)

In Chapter One, Act Two "A Living Corpse," the man Vincent was speaking with was dun, dun, dun...! Sephiroth. I think the two of them look alike... But, yeah, as I wrote in that act "A man whose looks greatly resembled his greeted him... It was as if was looking at his reflection in the mirror, only that it was everything he wasn't..." I say, in the game, Lucrecia and Vincent had their affair AND she mistook the child in her womb as her husband's baby... I mean, just look at Hojo! I don't think someone as good looking as Sephiroth would have a father as... slip a word in here, why doncha? ...that mad scientist... or maybe I'm just a little looney...? (Been chocolate-deprived for too long...)

Ahem...

In Chapter Two, Act Four "A Glimpse of the Phantom..." Where did Vincent go? Why did Tifa run? What did she see? Answer1: I wouldn't tell any of you YET... Answer2 and 3: She was scared and her mind was playing tricks on her... Umm, I hope I didn't baffle someone with this one...

Also, in Chapter Three, Act Five "Servants of the Night," the solid figure Tifa bumped into was supposedly Sephiroth. Since he spoke with Vincent earlier on, he was vaguely aware of someone else's presence and he stuck around to see who it was... I know, I know, that part was unclear but I thought I could 'imply' it through the "Little Lady" parts (in Act Eight, Sephiroth kept referring to her as such...) hehe, but I guess my plan didn't quite work...

Chapter Four, Act Eight "Where the Walls have Ears," how did Sephiroth end up in Lucrecia's room? Explanation: Since he is the solid figure from Act Five (the girl never apologized, remember?), he _must have_ followed the two of them, curious or something... (I have something in mind BUT you may have something else and I'll just leave the pondering to your imagination )

---- And in Act Nine and Ten, you would fully realize the story just doesn't consist of Tifa, Vincent, Sephiroth, Lucrecia, Aeris, Cloud and Zack... Yup, our interrogator guy joins in the fray! Wait a minute--- Who IS he?

**Additional Author's Notes, upon editing:** Sorry if this one was a bit long, or that this one just made the storyline more complex and much, much more confusing than it already is.Not to worry though, I'm working on the next few Acts... If any of you have questions, you are free to ask, via email (sodacolapop AT yahoo DOT com OR sodacolapop AT gmail DOT com) or leave it in the review box. Without further ado, I bid you all adieu... Again, thanks very much for reading!


End file.
